Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Distributed Bragg reflectors are reflectors often used in waveguides, such as optical fibers. In the case of optical fibers, distributed Bragg reflectors are formed by creating a periodic variation (also called modulation) in a refractive index of the waveguide. The periodic variation may be used to reflect a specific wavelength of light as desired by the application.
Often, distributed Bragg reflectors are used in fiber Bragg sensors. Fiber Bragg sensors are used in many applications to detect both strain and temperature variation. Fiber Bragg sensors may be used in place of traditional electrical or mechanical sensors for detecting strain or temperature variation. Among other things, fiber Bragg sensors are smaller and lighter than many conventional sensors, and fiber Bragg sensors have desirable functionality in the presence of electromagnetic radiation or intensity variations. Additionally, a narrow-waveband reflection of fiber Bragg sensors allows multiplexing in a fiber-optic network, for example.
Fiber Bragg sensors are used in many applications, including seismology, structural health monitoring, and down-hole sensing for oil and gas applications, for example, as well as other pressure, temperature, seismic vibration, and inline flow sensor applications.